Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Years after a woman accused a police officer of yanking her out of her car and slamming her face-first while handcuffed to the ground, a federal grand jury has charged him with using excessive force and misconduct in office.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a news release that former Hickory Police Sgt. Robert Michael George injured Chelsea Doolittle and filed a false report in 2013.
George, who said she fell, was fired a year later and charged in state court with assault.
Doolittle sued George and the city of Hickory in 2016 after enduring two oral surgeries.
District Attorney David Learner says the state charges are being dropped now that federal charges have been filed.
George's attorney, Lisa Dubs, did not comment.
Both George and Doolittle are white.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
